Queen Rania of Jordan is an absolute icon of modern royal style, always dressing immaculately, modestly and appropriately, no matter the occasion. As part of the Jordanian royals' tour across Europe, the 55-year-old visited Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican City. For such a high-profile, more serious, engagement, it's imperative to dress with a sleek but simple style, and the Queen of Jordan certainly understood the assignment. Scroll down to see the best pictures of Queen Rania and Pope Leo…
The mother of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan opted for an incredible wool coat from Fendi, which royal style blogger @royal.fashion.daily on Instagram identified as the 'black grain de poudre' coat from the designer. It featured a gorgeous wraparound collar with a fit and flare silhouette that was both modest and modern.
As always, Queen Rania's accessories were just as gorgeous: she brought out a thin gold belt, also from Fendi, which accentuated the silhouette of the coat in an incredibly flattering way. Continuing the appropriately reserved all-black theme, she carried a black leather top-handle bag from Max Mara and a pair of black patent leather pumps from Tom Ford.
Why royals wear black to meet the Pope
Catholicism is known for its many traditions, which extend to sartorial regulations; one of the most privileged customs of all is 'le privilège du blanc', translated as the 'privilege of the white'. This rule means that certain Catholic queens and consorts may wear white in the presence of the Pope, such as Princess Charlene and Queen Mathilde. All other women, even royals, must wear black when meeting the Pope, which explains why Queen Rania is dressed as such.
Traditional papal etiquette means that women are typically expected to wear a long black dress that has long sleeves and a high neckline, and a black mantilla (a lace or silk veil), hence the Queen of Jordan's veil. The absence of colour is meant to reflect humility.
Fan reaction to Queen Rania's look
In the comment section, the eagle-eyed royal style watchers following the blog shared their thoughts, which were unanimously positive. One fan wrote: "Those Tom Ford shoes look especially fabulous. Queen Rania always looks great; yet she always wears her own style. She always looks so appropriate but she looks so youthful. Hall of Fame dresser." Another penned: "The coat is unbeatable", while a third added: "Love her style," with a fire emoji.
Queen Rania's recent outfits
After a two-month absence from the public eye, the ever-so-stylish Jordanian royal returned to the spotlight in late August, with her last appearance before being at the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez in Venice at the end of June.
Paying a visit to Al-Salt, a town in Jordan, the wife of King Abdullah opted for a white blouse that featured ballooned sleeves and a patterned bright lemon-coloured skirt from Emporio Sirenuse with what the brand describes as "backgammon embroidery", as it resembles the patterns of the game's board.
To accessorise she brought out a tan brown leather satchel from Scotria, a pair of butter yellow pumps from Prada with a chunky heel, which was bang on trend in summer, and a pair of thick dark brown sunglasses from Oliver Peoples' collaboration with Khaite.